


Double Down

by yarnandtea



Series: Despite the Odds [2]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: AU, F/M, pre-game, shega
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-07
Updated: 2013-05-16
Packaged: 2017-12-10 15:53:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/787800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yarnandtea/pseuds/yarnandtea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Winnie and James are both on leave and just looking to have a fun night out. But when they run into each other and start talking, they end up getting more than they bargained for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Super thanks to my awesome beta ladyamesindy for all of her brainstorming and feedback and encouragement. Also her fab editing skills. Anything you find that is a glaring mistake is definitely my mess!

**July 2180: Benning**

It was the tattoo that caught his attention. James was determined to get new ink while he was on leave this time, and whenever he was thinking about getting a new tattoo he couldn't help but notice everyone else's. He thought it was a snake at first, wrapped around an ankle. A second look revealed it to actually be a dragon, but the kind without wings. What were they called, Chinese dragons? Water dragons? Not important. He peered closer, trying to get a better look. It was mostly black work, clean and crisp. He grunted in approval. Whoever'd done that had a damn steady hand. The ankle shifted slightly and he caught a glint of color mixed in with the black. Green perhaps? It was hard to tell in the dim light of the club.

The ankle shifted again and he realized he'd been staring. James glanced up meaning to shoot an apologetic grin at the owner of the tattoo and his breath caught in his throat. Holy shit, she was beautiful. She raised an eyebrow at him and he couldn't fight back the blush that spread across his face. Suddenly, he was thankful for the dim lighting. She was still looking at him, he realized, curiosity and amusement playing across her face.

"Nice ink," he managed to grunt out. The bartender finally arrived with his beer and he raised the bottle in her direction.

"Thanks," she said.

A small smile and a nod, a raised glass in return. She tucked a long strand of black hair behind her ear and then looked down at her drink again, stirring it idly with the straw. James glanced away and took a swig of his beer. He started to move away from the bar, looking for a table. Then he glanced back one more time and saw she was still staring at her drink, her amusement gone. She looked a little glum, actually, and he found himself wishing she would smile again. He glanced around, looking to see if she had any companions, but she seemed to be alone.

_Aw, fuck it. Why not? Worst she can do is tell me to get lost._

James turned around and headed in her direction.

"Do you mind?" He pointed to the stool beside her. She gave him an assessing look and then shrugged.

"Go ahead."

"Thanks." He took the seat and pointed at her ankle. "I mean it, that's nice work. Did you get it done locally?" She tilted her head at the question, clearly caught off guard. James hurried to add, "Looking to get some more of my own done. But I don't know who's worth going to around here."

"Ah." She nodded. She seemed to ease a little bit at the conversation. "Got it done a while back, actually. Not here." She turned on her stool, facing him, a thoughtful expression on her face. "But if you're looking for something local, the _Inked Bayonet_ over on Columbus is supposed to be a quality establishment." At his surprised look, she flashed him a small smile and shrugged. "I was thinking about getting another one myself, before I ship out again. Did a little research."

"Oh, cool." He grinned back at her, nodding his thanks. It was on the tip of his tongue to jokingly suggest they could go get their ink together when the rest of what she'd said filtered through. Before she shipped out again. He glanced back at her, unable to hide his surprise. "You're Alliance?"

A strange look flitted across her face. It seemed to be half surprise, half...annoyance? Though yeah, if she _was_ a soldier, she probably did get sick of people being surprised by that. Sure, she had a small frame, and he was pretty sure if she stood up she'd barely come up to his chin despite the wicked heels she was wearing. But that didn't mean she couldn't hold her own. _Shit_. He'd blown it, hadn't he? Not even five minutes into the conversation and already he'd ruined any chance of--

_Of what,_ pendejo _? Fraternization's a no-no. You never_ _had a chance to begin with._

She still hadn't said anything though. Hadn't thrown her drink in his face either. So maybe he could at least salvage this situation and have a friendly evening with a fellow soldier.  "I'm sorry. Shit. You just caught me off-guard is all." She tilted her head, one eyebrow raised, clearly expecting him to continue. "This isn't really an Alliance watering hole, you know?"

"You're here," she said dryly.

She reached out one finger and tapped lightly at the chain of his dog tags just peeking out from the collar of his shirt. Probably he could have taken them off, but his last few commanders had been sticklers for wearing the tags at all times, in uniform or not. After a while, he'd found the habit hard to shake. She wasn't wearing hers, he noticed. Though, he guessed they wouldn't have gone so well with the necklace she did have on--big irregular cut pieces of obsidian with smaller silver beads in between each one.

"Wasn't really looking to shoot the shit about past missions and who has a bigger gun," he admitted. "I get the idea that neither were you, though," he added, gesturing to her outfit. "But seeing how you're a bit overdressed for this joint, I'm guessing here wasn't your first choice either, huh?"

Her top was a deep emerald green silk, tied at one shoulder and leaving the other bare, and the lacy black skirt she wore stopped just past her knees. It looked like the kind that would flare out if she spun around. James had the sudden urge to ask her to do just that, but he doubted she'd comply. Her long dark hair fell in a braid over her bare shoulder, though tendrils of it had escaped to frame her face. She tucked one of them behind her ear turning away a bit under the scrutiny of his gaze, and the row of thin black and silver bracelets she wore clinked softly. She looked like she had dolled up for a night on the town, in fact, and James found himself insanely curious as to how she had ended up in this middling little club.

"I, um," she cleared her throat and offered a sheepish smile. "Well, you've got me there. I was supposed to be seeing a play with a friend," she admitted, "but our plans fell through." There was something bittersweet in her expression, but James didn't press her for more information.

"Well, I'm sorry your plans fell through," James said. Trying to change the subject, he asked, "So, are you stationed on Arcturus then?"

"Oh no!" She gave a little laugh. He liked the sound. Even better, she was smiling again. "I'm all about the ships. They just called me back to Arcturus so they could--" She cut herself off and her nose crinkled a bit. When she continued, he suspected it wasn't what she had been about to say. "They've assigned me to a new ship, as in, the ship itself is new. So I'm on leave until it's ready for its first deployment."

"That's cool."

"So what about you? Arcturus, then?"

"Yeah. For now at least. More training until I get my next station. Probably it'll be another colony or outpost."

"I don't get to see as many of the colonies as I'd like," she admitted after a moment, stirring her drink again. He glanced over and realized she hadn't really touched it. The ice had all melted and the little paper umbrella looked in danger of tumbling out at any moment. "But I do love being on my ships."

Her smile softened and James bit back a chuckle. Oh, she was one of _those_. Joined up so she could fly around the galaxy, most likely. He found it kind of cute. Hell, if he was being honest with himself, he found _her_ kind of cute. More than kind of, really. For the first time in his military career he was beginning to question the regs against fraternization. He gave himself a mental shake, trying to derail that thought.

"Bet you get to see a lot of the good action, too," he mused. "Getting called in wherever there's trouble. The colonies can get kind of boring." She laughed again and shook her head in amusement. "But hey," James added, "still better than Earth, I guess." He didn't know why he said it, but the words were out before he had really even thought them.

"Fucking A," she said with surprising ferocity.

She raised her glass and then took a drink. James' surprise at her reaction to mention of Earth disappeared at the face she made. Clearly she had not enjoyed the taste of her drink. It was probably too watered down to taste like much of anything. He laughed and took it from her hand.

"Let me buy you something else?"

"Oh god, yes, please." She stuck her tongue out and shook her head, her nose crinkling up as she tried to rid herself of the taste. James signaled the bartender. "It was the special," she explained to James, "it sounded interesting so I thought I'd try it. I didn't like it _before_ all the ice melted though."

"I can't imagine that improved it any," James laughed. "Another, please," he told the bartender, holding up his beer. He gestured to his companion, "and whatever she'd like."

"Do you have any hard cider?" She asked the bartender hopefully. He nodded and turned to go fetch their new drinks, whisking away the old ones. "Thank you," she said, turning back to James. The stray lock of hair had escaped once more and she tucked it behind her ear again. James tried not to stare at the freckles that were splashed across her nose. He focused instead on what she was saying. "For the drink, and for the company," she had added.

"Hey, I can't leave a fellow marine hanging, now can I?" James grinned. She laughed again and nodded.

The bartender returned with two bottles, which they accepted eagerly. They clinked them together and each took a drink. She sighed in appreciation and inspected the label.

"Oh that is _much_ better. What is that, pear?" She took another sip, her eyes closing as she savored it. "That's _very_ good."

He tried not to stare. He really did. He thought maybe he should get points for that. But the happy little sound she made as she enjoyed her drink went straight to his groin. There was something about her that just _got_ to him. After a few more minutes of watching her, it dawned on him why he was so drawn to her. _Reminds me of Lola_. Growing up, his best friend had been a boy named Mateo, who'd had an older sister that had been James' very first crush. Lola had been small but tough, none of the punks on the street messed with her or her little brother. Any that were stupid enough to try quickly learned better. She had carried herself with the same air that this woman seemed to have. Add in the dark hair and freckles, both of which Lola had also had, and was it any wonder this woman appealed to him?

_Never had a chance with Lola either though, did I? So I guess there's something else these two have in common._

They drank in silence for a few moments and he tried to rein in his misbehaving thoughts. It was getting a bit difficult though, so he opted to try for a distraction. "So, you gonna tell me your name?" He adopted a teasing tone, "Or do you just make a habit of letting strangers buy you drinks?"

"Oh!" Her eyes flew open, and again, that look of surprise flashed across her face. "I'm so used to--" She stopped herself again and shook her head, then smiled. "Winnie," she said after a slight hesitation. She stuck her hand out and he instinctively took it in his own.

"James," he answered, trying desperately not to drown in the warmth of her touch. He could feel calluses, contrasted with smooth skin. Her hand all but disappeared in his grip, but he could feel the strength in it still. He let go as quickly as he could and tried to give her an easy smile, looking away as he downed a long gulp of his beer.

Winnie. First name only. No rank. Did that mean anything? He'd given her the same, but it had been instinct, following her lead. _Could_ she be feeling the same attraction he was? He glanced back at her and she gave him a cheery smile raising her own bottle and taking a swig. He couldn't help but return the smile, his eyes tracing the line of her neck as she tilted her head back to drink.

_Fuck. This one's gonna be trouble, isn't she?_

"So, James," Winnie said, setting her bottle on the bar and leaning forward. "What kind of ink are you thinking about getting?"

_Oh yeah. Trouble. With a capital T._ He gave her a long look, unable to keep the smile from his face in the wake of her interested expression. _Might be worth it though._


	2. Chapter 2

Winnie could feel James' eyes on her as she finished off her cider and she fought back a smile. She probably should thank him for the drink and then make her way back to her hotel, call it a night. She'd been about to when he'd shown up. At first she'd assumed that he'd been staring because he'd recognized her. Ever since the Skyllian Blitz, it was an unfortunately common occurrence. Especially here on Benning, which might as well be a military colony for all that it served as a convenient place of leave for soldiers moving through or stationed on Arcturus. Not many days went by that she didn't wish she'd been anywhere but Elysium when the Blitz had gone down. Surely _someone_ else would have stepped up and helped the colony. She'd just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or the right place at the right time, according to the brass.

But as far as she could tell, this James had no idea who she was. At least, not just by looking at her. She supposed she wasn't exactly the picture of an Alliance soldier tonight. Which had been the point, of course. But then Jason had gone and--no. She wasn't going back down that line of thought. She was going to sit here and enjoy a pleasant evening with another soldier who quite thankfully was not peppering her with questions about Elysium. It was rather refreshing, really. She'd almost slipped up and said "Shepard" when he'd asked for her name. No one had called her anything else since she'd left Earth. But she wasn't about to assume he wouldn't recognize her _name_ , if not her face. So, Winnie it was. She was a little surprised at how freeing it was to go by her given name again. She finally truly felt off-duty for the first time in a long while.

"Let me buy the next round," she offered, seeing that he had finished his beer as well. She waved down the bartender.

"Hey, thanks," James grinned. "Guess you do like that better than your first drink." He pointed to her empty bottle as the bartender took it away.

"Much!" Winnie laughed. "I don't know what inspired me to try that damn special in the first place. I'd usually rather have cider anyway, if it's available. Or beer. I haven't had this kind before though, it's a pear cider. I like it."

"My _abuela_ always liked those ciders," James said, his smile turning a little fond. "I used to get so mad when she wouldn't let me have any of her 'grown-up' apple juice." He shook his head. Winnie blinked at him in confusion for a moment.

" _Abuela_?"

"Oh, sorry! I slip into Spanish sometimes. I forget most people don't have their translators set for more than one language." He shrugged. "I grew up with it, you know how it is, habit." Winnie nodded slowly, and James added, "It means grandmother."

"Okay." Winnie accepted her new drink from the bartender but paused with it halfway to her lips. "Wait. Did you just say I remind you of your _grandmother_ then?"

"What? No! _Dios_ , no!" He gave her a look had her suddenly feeling quite warm. "I just...meant you must have good taste?" He shot her a sheepish smile. Winnie couldn't help but laugh at the expression.

"Uh huh."

James looked away again and Winnie took advantage of the moment to study him. He was young, a few years more so than her, she was pretty sure. He couldn't have even been in the service for very long. Hell, maybe he hadn't even joined up until after the Blitz. _That_ was a depressing thought. But...no. If he'd visited a recruitment office after that, he'd have been unable to avoid seeing her face plastered all over the place. So he couldn't be _that_ much younger.

 _Not that you should be trying to justify your attraction to him, Shep_ , she chided herself. _Should be getting the heck out of here before you do something stupid._

Still, she _did_ like him, and she had always viewed fraternization regs as useful to a point. But they weren't in a chain of command situation here, and from the sound of things they were unlikely to be at any point in the future. Hell, she was N7, after all. The brass didn't like to keep her in one place for very long anyway.  Best to play it cautious though, let him be the one to make the first move if he was interested. She didn't want to overstep any bounds.

Winnie had to admit, James was a bit of a puzzle to her. Or at least, her attraction to him was. He seemed nice enough, and he clearly had good taste in ink. He wasn't her usual type though. He was so...eager? No, earnest. That was the word. Or maybe exuberant was better. He rather reminded her of a puppy. The kind that would grow up to be a _big_ dog. Although, James was already plenty big enough. She could--and did--appreciate his physique, true, but she tended to go for guys who were a bit leaner, more clean cut.

Like Jason _._

 _So, how well did_ that _work out for you, huh Shep?_

Her inner self had a point. James glanced back at her and smiled, his embarrassment gone. She smiled back and something flashed in his eyes, drawing an answering thrill of anticipation from her. Hell. Maybe it was time to try something different, after all.

"So," James drawled after a moment. "What play were you gonna go see?"

"Um...you know," Winnie gave an embarrassed laugh of her own. "I don't even know!" James cocked an eyebrow at her. "It was a last minute invitation," she explained. "I ran into one of my friends from training earlier today. We caught up for a bit and then he mentioned that he had tickets to a thing at the Peach Theater tonight and asked if I wanted to go. Sounded like fun, so I said yes."

"So what happened, then?" James asked. Winnie winced. "Oh, hey," James backpedaled, "I didn't mean to pry or anythi--"

"No, no, it's fine." She waved him off. It wasn't like he could have known. "He called me before we were supposed to meet up and said that his original date had gotten leave after all, and could we catch up some other time." She shrugged, trying to play it off as no big deal. "I was already dressed up for an evening out, though, so..."

She gestured at her outfit, which as James had pointed out earlier, definitely was a bit too dressy for this club. She'd bought it this afternoon, after agreeing to go to the play. It wasn't like she'd had anything appropriate in her duffel bag back at the hotel. She couldn't bear to let the new clothes go to waste though, so she'd found the least off-putting club she could that was within walking distance of her hotel and that didn't cater to the Alliance, thinking at least she'd look nice while drowning her sorrows. Well, drowning her general annoyance and embarrassment at the whole situation, at least. James was giving her a strange look and she guessed he'd figured her out. Yeah, she'd thought Jason had been asking her on a date. So here she was, out by herself, too dressed up, chatting up a guy as different as possible from the one who had stood her up. When he did speak though, it wasn't the pity she'd been expecting.

"Well that guy's a fucking idiot."

"What?" Winnie tilted her head to the side, scrunching up her nose as she tried to follow the unexpected line of conversation.

"Who in their right mind blows off someone like you?" James said, waving his bottle in her direction. "Must be a real _pendejo_ to think he could do better. I've known you all of what, an hour? But I can say that if I had managed to score a last minute date with you, you can bet your ass I'd have shown up on time, no matter what tried to get in my way."

She just blinked at him for a few seconds, surprised by the outburst. She realized that her whole face was flushed. She couldn't remember the last time someone had said something like that to her that hadn't been about her military record. She wasn't sure anyone ever had, actually.

"Um, thank you?"

"Hey, no thanks necessary. I'm just calling it like I see it."

He tossed back the rest of his bottle in one swallow. Winnie thought he was blushing. Maybe it was the alcohol working its way through her system, but she had a hard time keeping the grin off her face. For the first time all night, she was truly glad things had played out like they had. She was pretty sure she'd much rather be here in a bar drinking with James than sitting in some dark theater with Jason, wondering what their status was. James set his bottle back on the bar and offered her a hand.

"This song's not half bad. What do you say, dance with me?"

"Oh, no!" Winnie blurted out. "I'm not nearly drunk enough for that!"

James sat back on his stool, hand falling to his thigh. His face kind of...fell. His whole body stiffened and he looked away.

_Oh shit! Wait to go, Shep! Guy gives you the best compliment you've had in a decade and you go and kick him in the balls!_

"Not to dance with you!" She hastened to clarify. "Just, to dance at all! I'm um.... Look. It's not my best skill." She reached out and hesitantly placed her hand on top of his. He glanced down at it, his body seeming to relax again.

"What, you're worried I'll show you up?" He glanced up and shot her a cocky grin.

"It's pretty likely," Winnie agreed with a laugh. She glanced at her own bottle, still half full, and took a deep drink. Then she waved for the bartender. "One more round, James," she gave his hand a quick squeeze. "Then ask me again, huh?'

"Works for me."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...and then there was smut. Also, changing points of view. Whee!

He eventually managed to get her on the dance floor. Winnie was right, dancing really wasn't her best skill. At least, James hoped it wasn't. Because, yeah, she was pretty bad. But she _was_ clearly enjoying herself, and in his book that made up for any lack of talent. He even managed to get her to spin, and like he'd thought her skirt flared out, giving him a nice view of her legs. She gave him a wink when he pulled her back in afterwards and he realized she'd noticed him looking. From the grin on her face, he was pretty sure she didn't mind though.

They must have danced for at least two hours, skill be damned. Enough to work up a thirst again, though they both switched to water after they moved away from the bar. James was kind of relieved when she kept dancing with him even without the alcohol to spur her on. He was having a good time, and it seemed like she was too. As the night wore on, the music slowed, and James pulled her close, his hands resting lightly at her waist. She smiled and leaned against him, head on his chest. Her arms snaked around his neck and her fingers played lightly with the short hair at the nape.

"This is nice," Winnie sighed. He could just hear her over the music. Without really thinking about it, he steered them toward the edge of the dance floor, away from the speakers. "I can't even remember the last time someone got me to spend the night dancing."

"Yeah?" James' eyes slid shut and he shivered as her fingers continued to play with his hair. He ran one of his hands up her back and she made a contented sound. "Well, I'm glad you were willing to be convinced."

"Mmm."

James opened his eyes and looked down. He couldn't see all of her face, but he could see the curve of her smile. He thought back over the evening, a smile of his own playing across his face. Technically, they'd already strayed over the lines of fraternization tonight, he knew. But so far, they'd done nothing that would get either of them in trouble with any but the strictest of COs, and only then if said CO was feeling vindictive. He could thank her for the drinks, and the company, and the dancing. Tell her goodnight, and walk away with no harm done. It really had been a fantastic evening already.

But. It had been...a while, if he was being honest. Dancing with this amazing woman in his arms, pressed up against him, he was starting to realize just how long it had really been. Winnie certainly seemed interested, or at least open to suggestion. James knew that whatever might happen between them would have to be a one-time thing. But that was pretty standard for him anyway, so it shouldn't be a problem in this case, right? Sure, it was a bit of a risk, but if she was willing to, he thought it would be worth it. Besides, what were the odds they'd actually run into each other again, really?

His mind made up, James placed a finger under Winnie's chin and tilted her face up to meet his. Bending down, he kissed her. He fought the urge to pull her even closer, keeping the kiss light, giving her room to pull away if the advance was unwelcome. But Winnie didn't pull away at all. Instead she leaned forward, melting into him with a satisfied little sound. She deepened the kiss and her hands slid to his shoulders, her grip tightening as she stretched up to better reach him. James' head was spinning when they pulled apart, and Winnie was smiling like the cat who had gotten the canary.

"Don't suppose you'd like to," he cleared his throat, "get out of here? With me?"

"Oh, fuck yes. I think that's the best idea either one of us has had all night," Winnie said with a throaty laugh. James swallowed and he nodded, finally grinning back at her.

Hand in hand, they left the dance floor, making their way toward the doors. Once they were out of the club, it was like a switch had been flipped. The whole night she'd held back a step behind, waiting for him to flirt first before flirting back. But now, with their intent for the rest of the evening all but spelled out, Winnie assumed the lead.

She pulled him along behind her, clearly with a destination in mind. He got a bit distracted, watching the sway of her hips and imagining what was to come. He almost tripped over his own feet when she suddenly turned down an alley, pushing him up against the wall of one of the buildings. She stretched up on her toes and kissed him again, tugging on his neck to bring him into easier reach. On instinct, he bent his knees a bit, sliding down the wall so that she didn't have to stretch so much. His hands slid around her waist and then down, cupping her ass, pulling her snugly up against his body.

Winnie's hands pushed the edge of his shirt up, her short nails scratching lightly along his stomach. She broke their kiss and peppered a trail of kisses along his jaw to his neck. She pulled her hands free of his shirt and he sucked in a breath of surprise when he realized she had moved them to his pants. She had them unbuttoned and the fly pulled down before he could even form a coherent thought.

"Damn!" His head fell back against the brick. "You just gonna fuck me out here in the street?"

"Mmm, now there's an idea with possibility," Winnie purred. She nipped lightly at his neck and he shivered. "Would you like that, James?" Her fingers toyed with the waistband of his briefs. His cock twitched at the idea.

"Would rather do this right," he managed to grunt out. "Somewhere with a bed and a door that locks. Where we can take our time."

"Yeah?"

There was something in her voice--amusement mixed with surprise, he thought--that made him look down and hold her eyes.

"Yeah," he said, offering up a soft smile. He reached a hand up to stroke her cheek. "We've got all night, right?"

Her hand slipped out of his pants, and he realized she was fastening them back up. A slow smile spread across her face and she bounced up to kiss him briefly. Even in heels, she had to stretch to reach. He thought that got him a little hotter than it should. He was surprised he even _could_ get any hotter at this point.

"I suppose we do, at that," she said, taking his hand and once more tugging him along. "Come on, then!"

She was already moving back toward the sidewalk, looking back over her shoulder as he trailed behind her.

What else could he do but follow?

~~

Winnie led James to her hotel, only a few blocks away. Their hands remained linked as she pulled him into the elevator and they remained silent as it carried them to her floor. When a large party of turians and asari joined them halfway through the ride, she took advantage of the jostling to pinch James' ass before pressing closely against him in the corner of the small space. To his credit, he didn't jump or make a sound in reaction. He did shoot a smirk her way though, looking her up and down suggestively. They were still exchanging heated glances when the elevator stopped and the doors slid open with an accompanying chime.

She pulled James into the hall as politely as she could, doing her best not to jostle the other occupants. As the doors slid shut, she thought she heard the melodious sound of an asari laugh but she paid it no mind, directing James to her room. In her eagerness to get the door open, she fumbled the code and had to key it in again, drawing an amused chuckle from James. It was a deep and throaty sound, full of lust, and not unkind. She liked it too much to be annoyed that he was laughing at her.

As soon as she got the door open, James stepped inside and she followed. She engaged the extra locks on the door and then turned around, leaning back against it to grin at her companion. James returned the grin, taking a step forward and leaning down to kiss her. He cupped her face, one of his hands sliding back to card through her hair, pulling strands free from her braid. Her lips parted and she pressed her tongue forward to meet his. He slid a knee between her thighs, pushing them apart and holding her up within easier reach as his mouth moved from hers, down along her neck, trailing kisses and small bites.

_Oh god, it has been too damn long!_

Winnie moaned as she let James press her against the door, and her legs threatened to give out on her. The only thing holding her up was his knee that she had straddled. He moved back up to capture her lips again and she pushed her tongue into his mouth. Though they'd given up on alcohol hours ago, he still tasted a little of the beer he'd been drinking and she chuckled as she pulled back, nipping his lower lip. She met his eyes, drinking in the desire she found in them. He was panting lightly and she realized he was waiting for direction. A wide, slow smile spread across her face.

_Good._

She'd been ready to write the evening off as a loss until this _kid_ had wandered over to talk to her. But she'd be damned if she wasn't glad he had. She pushed him back, just a little, and started tugging at his shirt. He figured out what she wanted and eagerly pulled it off, tossing it at a chair in the corner. Then he leaned back in for another kiss, his fingers moving to her thighs, sliding up beneath her skirt. She shivered at his touch, her own hands skating across his chest, admiring the muscle she found there. All brawn and fire, this one. She traced the lines tattooed across the muscles, idly wondering what they meant to him. She was distracted from that line of thought when his hands moved, sliding back from her thighs to cup her ass again. He had nice hands, too. She moaned again at his touch. Too. Damn. Long.

"Clothes. Off." She managed to get the demand out, though it was breathier than she would have liked.

He complied without hesitation, moving back slowly enough to let her find her feet before kicking off his shoes and starting on his pants. She watched in delight as he bared himself for her, a predatory smile crossing her face as she leaned back against the door. This guy could probably crush her without even trying, she realized. _Well_ , she amended, _if he managed to catch me off guard, at least._ But he seemed perfectly willing to let her take charge, to follow her lead. She hoped he remained content to keep playing along.

Fully undressed now, James stepped up to her again. He cupped her cheek in one hand, the other resting on her waist, and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. His fingers brushed the zipper on the side of her skirt and he raised his eyebrows in question. Winnie nodded and let him pull her away from the wall, unzipping her as he did. Her skirt pooled on the floor at her feet. Next, James untied the strap at her shoulder. He tugged the shirt up over her head and let it drop to the floor as well. Winnie bit back a smile as his eyes swept over her body appreciatively. He started to reach for her underwear but she shook her head and he stopped, looking at her patiently.

"On the bed," she ordered, "on your back."

James grinned and went where she had directed him, bringing another smile to Winnie's face. She walked slowly to the bed, stopping at the foot of it. James propped himself up on his elbows, watching her hungrily. She let her eyes wander over James some more, appreciating the view. A tiny sliver of nervousness shot through her as she took him in. There really was nothing small about him, was there? She pushed the nervousness away quickly. He'd been nothing but respectful all night long, never initiating anything without leaving her room to back out, and he seemed perfectly happy to let her run the show so far. She was normally slow to trust, even she knew that, but for some reason, she knew she had nothing to fear from James.

Winnie reached her arms up to her back and undid the hooks on her bra, tossing it idly to join the rest of her clothes. Her panties quickly followed. After a moment, she slid off her bracelets and removed her necklace, setting them on the dresser behind her. She turned back to the bed and remained at the foot for a moment longer, drinking in James' attention. Then she climbed onto the bed and moved toward him, reaching out and trailing the fingers of one hand along his body as she went.

He was fully erect already and his cock twitched as her fingers ghosted along his thigh, teasing but not touching. She laughed softly and leaned down, kissing the tip of it. James groaned and fell back against the bed. Winnie stretched out beside him and leaned over, kissing him again, hands tracing idly along his chest once more. He rolled onto his side, returning the kiss. His hand hovered over her body, as if he couldn't decide where to touch her first, and after a moment he let it rest on her hip. She moved closer to him, pressing their bodies together and slid a leg between his. Straddling his thigh again, she began grinding against it.

" _Dios!_ " James breathed, pulling back from the kiss. Winnie traced her tongue along his jaw, down his neck, and bit down at the curve where it met his shoulder. He moaned, threading a hand through her hair again, his mouth going to her own neck. His other hand worked between them, moving down between her legs. He worked two fingers inside of her, and began circling his thumb around her clit with teasingly light touches. Winnie started to still her movements but he whispered, "Keep going, _bonita_ , please."

Now it was Winnie's turn to moan as she rode his fingers, bucking into his thumb. He worked a third finger into her and began moving them in and out with sharp thrusts, pulling back so that his leg was no longer pressed against her. She cried out, close to coming, and James continued working his fingers in her. His thumb brushed across her clit with increasing pressure. Winnie gripped his hip, her fingers clenching as her muscles tightened. She came with a shout, so loud she barely heard James' own groan as her fingernails dug into his flesh.

He kissed her lightly and pulled her close. She could feel his erection pressing into her stomach and a wicked grin flitted across her face. She worked a hand down to it, gripping his cock lightly and running her thumb over the head. James bucked into her touch and she loosed a laugh. She stole another kiss and then pushed him onto his back. He let out a startled sound and his eyes widened as she climbed on top of him, straddling his thighs. She leaned down to kiss him again, teasing her tongue out to touch his, and then stretched over to the night stand by the table, pulling open the drawer. James turned his head to see what she was doing and she shook her own a little wryly as she pulled out the small packet of condoms.

"Always be prepared, huh?" James chuckled, holding out a hand.

"Something like that," Winnie said dryly.

She handed one of the packets to James and watched as he tore it open, her eyes following his hands as he rolled the rubber down over his cock. She was definitely glad she'd picked them up. They'd been a hopeful last minute purchase when she'd been out buying clothes for the evening. She could admit she had considered that the evening she had thought she'd been about to have might have played out a certain way. The impulse had certainly paid off, even if she had ended up here with someone entirely unexpected. She smiled down at him, again realizing that unexpected or not, James was infinitely preferable.

Condom in place, James placed his hands on Winnie's hips and she lifted herself up, settling over him and then sliding down, taking him inside. She started to move slowly and James met her eyes, licking his lips as she rocked. She sped up her motions a little and he groaned, eyes sliding shut and head sinking back into the pillow. His hands tightened at her waist.

" _Dios_ , you feel amazing."

"The feeling is mutual," she panted, beginning to move faster.

James' back arched up off the bed and then he dropped down before thrusting back into her, meeting her movements. She gasped as he slammed into her, speeding up even more. The room filled with the sound of their breathing and before long James was the one crying out his release, Winnie's voice joining his as he managed to find just the right angle to bring her off _again_. Afterward, she tumbled off of him, lying next to him on her back, and tried to catch her breath.

 _It really has been too long. I had forgotten how much_ fun _this can be._

James grabbed a tissue from the box on the nightstand and pulled off the condom, wrapping it up and tossing it into the trash can in the corner. Winnie was trying to think of a polite way to ask him to leave when he rolled over and pulled her close, planting a soft kiss on her cheek and nuzzling her neck. The stubble on his chin tickled, and she smiled in spite of herself.

"You ready to be rid of me yet, or you wanna nap a bit and try for another round a little later?"

"Oh!" Winnie blinked in surprise.

Well. That hadn't even occurred to her. She rolled over to look at him, thinking it through. James watched her, quiet, his expression carefully blank. If he stayed, that meant cuddling. She could already tell he was a cuddler, and she'd never been big on it. On the other hand, this did feel kind of nice, and if he stayed that _also_ meant more sex. He was young, and in damn good shape. It might mean a _lot_ more sex. She was about to ship out on a two year tour. How long would it be before she managed to get laid again? It would be silly to turn down an offer for more great sex, wouldn't it?

James reached up and stroked her cheek, pushing loose strands of hair back from her face. He must have taken her silence as a good sign, because he smiled hopefully. She smiled back, shyly. She could admit she was definitely enjoying his company. Part of it was the anonymity, she knew. It was nice to just get to be herself, and not Lieutenant Shepard, Hero of the Blitz, for a while. But she also _liked_ him. It was almost a shame that they probably wouldn't ever see each other again after tonight. Then again, given regs, maybe it was for the best. Still. The night wasn't anywhere close to over, was it?

"A nap sounds good to me," she said softly. She cupped his cheek and kissed him, slowly, sweetly, savoring the feel of his body against hers, of being wrapped in his arms. When they broke apart, James leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose.

"Cool."

They settled themselves underneath the blankets and within minutes, they were both asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

James woke before she did, coming to slowly. He opened his eyes in the dark room and blinked, looking around, trying to remember where he was. Winnie wriggled in her sleep, and instinctively he pulled her closer, memories of the evening settling into place. She woke with a start and a gasp and scrambled backwards. He let her go. In the dim light streaming through the privacy curtains, he could see her looking around in confusion.

"Hey Winnie," he said softly. She glanced at him and her breathing eased. Her eyebrows drew together and she tilted her head.

"James." It wasn't a question. A reminder, maybe.

"That's me," he sat up, moving slowly, and leaned against the headboard.

"Sorry," she said after a moment, sounding a bit sheepish. "I'm not used to waking up with, um," she waved a hand in his direction, "company."

"Doesn't happen all that often for me, either," he chuckled softly. "A soldier's life, huh?"

"Indeed." A smile ghosted across her face and she scooted closer to him.

James stretched out an arm, inviting her to sit next to him, and was surprised when she climbed into his lap instead. She laughed at his look of surprise and then stretched up to kiss him. Combined with the heated but lazy kiss, the sudden press of her warm, naked flesh all but took his breath away. Winnie's hands slid up his neck, her fingers running through the short hair that covered his scalp. His eyes drooped shut and he brought his hands up to run through her hair as well. He found the tie at the end of her braid and tugged it loose, combing his fingers through the silky black strands that fell to the middle of her back.

They kissed for a long time, just enjoying the closeness. James began to let his hands wander, reveling in the sounds Winnie made as he discovered sensitive spots. He toyed with her nipples, kneading her breasts, and finally had to break away from the kissing to lean down and take one in his mouth, moving back and forth between them when he was encouraged by Winnie's moans. He held her up with one broad hand splayed across her back, and the other he let drift down between her legs.

"Oh, _yes_ ," Winnie sighed as he slid his fingers into her, working them in and out, twisting them inside, bringing her close to climax again. She pulled his face up and kissed him again, hungrily, fiercely, teeth and tongue and passion. He moved his attention to her clit and she batted his hands away. "No, no, not yet." She climbed off of him and crawled over toward the edge of the bed. "Stay there!" She barked when he moved to follow her.

James stayed.

He watched her retrieve another condom and tear open the wrapper, tossing it on the floor before crawling back over to him. Winnie knelt beside him and kissed him on the cheek before taking hold of him and rolling the condom down. James' head fell back against the headboard with a thunk and Winnie laughed softly. His cock twitched, and she laughed again. That sound should not be so damn sexy. She climbed back into his lap, straddling him this time, and without any further ado, she took hold of him again to position them both before sinking down on him.

" _Fuck!_ " James strained to hold himself still.

"That is the idea, yes," Winnie giggled. Before he could think of a comeback, she leaned forward enough to kiss him, rolling her hips as she did so. "Oh, god, yes," she breathed against his lips. James silently agreed with the sentiment.

He brought his hands to her hips to steady her, but she batted them away again. He grinned and moved them to her breasts instead.

"Mmm, much better," she agreed, grinning back. 

James planted his heels in the bed, thrusting up to meet the rolls of her hips and she cried out. He leaned forward to steal another kiss and Winnie planted her hands behind him on the headboard. They were just about eye-to-eye in this position and he forced himself to keep his open, locked on hers. He watched her for cues, speeding up against her grinding and then backing off as she started to approach climax.

"Tease," she whispered the second time he did that. She nipped at his ear and he could hear approval in her tone. "Next time, don't back off."

"Yes, ma'am."

She chuckled in response and nipped his ear again. She worked them back up slowly, setting a steady pace that had both moaning. James' hands fell to her hips again and this time she did not bat them away. Instead she tightened her grip on the headboard and buckled down for the final stretch. James held on for dear life as she brought them both to orgasm, shouting wordlessly as he came. Winnie slumped against him and he wrapped his arms lightly around her back, holding her close as she came down from her high.

Eventually, they had to move, of course, and Winnie climbed off him gingerly. He cleaned himself up as best he could with the tissues by the bed and Winnie excused herself and made a beeline for the bathroom. James traded with her when she was done, and when he came back out, she was already fast asleep in the bed. He looked down at her for a few moments and debated collecting his clothes and going, but.... He was pretty sure if she wanted him gone, she'd have said something before going to sleep. So he climbed back into bed, spooning up behind her. He was gratified when she snuggled back into him.

The next time it was Winnie who came to first and she woke James with a hungry kiss. They wasted little time, this coupling frantic and messy and quick. Winnie fell asleep again almost before James managed to get the condom off, and he just shook his head and laughed, his head still spinning as he drifted back to sleep.

The last time, they woke together, thanks to a loud disturbance in the hallway outside Winnie's room. James considered going to check on the noise, and he could see the same thought in Winnie's eyes. But before either of them could throw the covers back, the noise subsided and they could hear what was clearly hotel security leading the trouble-maker away.

They settled back in the bed, only half awake, and Winnie rested her head on James' chest as they tried to fall back asleep. Of course, it didn't take long for James' body to become aware of the warm naked woman pressed against it, and when he tried to shift away so that _she_ wouldn't notice, she laughed and pulled him closer. This time the sex was slow and lazy. There was no sense of urgency, no burning need, and James was happy to let it stretch out. He knew the time for him to leave was approaching. He was surprised when Winnie curled into him afterwards, head on his chest again. But he did not argue, wishing, just for a moment, as he drifted back to sleep, that this could play out differently than he knew it would.

It was the sound of the shower that woke him the final time. James sat up and glanced at the open bathroom door, watching Winnie's shadow behind the shower curtain. Light streamed in through the windows and he could hear the sounds of the city waking up beyond. He considered joining her in the shower, but then he caught sight of his clothes, folded up neatly on the night stand beside him. It was a clear enough sign.  He slid out of bed and quickly got dressed.

Winnie was still in the shower. He should probably just leave, he knew, but he couldn't quite bring himself to just slip away without at least saying goodbye. So, he sat down on the edge of the bed to wait. He used the time to try to figure out exactly _what_ to say. This wasn't really how any of his other one-night stands had gone, after all. Idly he wondered if she might want to go grab breakfast or something. His stomach was growling something fierce, and he'd be amazed if she wasn't just as hungry after all of their exercise last night. He dismissed the thought quickly though, knowing that such an invitation would be crossing a line of some sort. He might not be sure where the line had been drawn, exactly, but breakfast was probably definitely on the other side of it. Maybe if they hadn't both been Alliance...but they were. No point in thinking about it.

The water stopped and James looked up in time to see a slender arm reach out and grab a towel from the rack over the toilet. The shadow behind the curtain moved some more and then the curtain was sliding back and Winnie was stepping out, wrapped in the towel with her wet hair loose around her shoulders. She stopped abruptly when she saw him, her eyes going wide momentarily. Then her face slipped into a neutral expression and James caught a hint of wariness. He winced inwardly.

_Damn. I freaked her out._

"James," she said lightly. "I didn't think you'd still be here." Just the hint of the question in her voice. _So why are you?_ James knew that someone without military training probably wouldn't notice her ready stance and he cursed himself for being an idiot.

"I just didn't feel right not saying goodbye," he said with a shrug. "Had a good time last night, wanted to say thank you."

"Oh." She looked surprised again, but she also relaxed, much to James' relief.

_Man, she really_ must _kick them out right after. Wonder why she let me stay?_

"Um," Winnie bit her lip, hesitating in the doorway. She was clearly at a bit of a loss.

"And now that I've fucked up and made this completely awkward," James said, standing up slowly to avoid startling her, "I think that's my cue to leave."

He wanted to give her a kiss goodbye, but he suspected it wouldn't go over well, so instead he made his way to the door, being sure to give her plenty of space. He paused, hand on the door, and turned back. She was watching him as if he was a mystery to figure out, her brow furrowed and nose scrunched up. It was almost unbearably cute. He opened his mouth to say goodbye again but she broke the silence by speaking first.

"I did too!" she blurted out. "Have a good time, I mean." She blushed. "Thank you."

"Bye, Winnie," he said, the tension leaving his shoulders. "Take care of yourself, huh?"

"Yeah." She smiled then, a soft smile, and James returned it. "I'll see what I can do about that," she added. "You take care of yourself too, James."

"Yes, ma'am," James said with a nod of his head. He opened the door and slipped into the hallway, the sound of a soft chuckle following him out.

He paused for a moment, smiling and savoring the sound. Then he made his way to the elevator and out of the hotel, never looking back once.

~~

The rest of his leave was a bit of a blur. Try as he might, he couldn't stop thinking about Winnie. A dozen times, he found himself wishing he'd gotten her full name. Then maybe he could look her up again, see if she might want to meet up the next time they both had leave. Of course, those thoughts led to arguments with himself, reminders that it was probably for the best. After all, she probably outranked him anyway, so anything more than what they'd already done was guaranteed to lead to trouble. Besides, when he'd joined up, he'd made the decision to _avoid_ tying himself down to one person. His life was the Alliance, and it wouldn't be fair to anyone involved. So there was no use going and getting his head stuck on this one girl, amazing as she might have been.

He tried to distract himself by keeping busy. He did end up getting the tattoo he had been planning on. Of course, he got it done at the _Inked Bayonet_ , which Winnie had recommended. So that didn't really help keep his mind off of her. He met up with other friends on leave, going out for drinks, catching a game in the local biotiball tournament. Slowly, he started to get her out of his mind. The closer he got to the end of his leave, the easier he found it to focus on other things.

Of course, that was when she was thrown back to the forefront of his attention in the most unexpected way possible.

It was his last day of leave, and he had agreed to meet up with an old training buddy for lunch. Danny worked in the planet-side recruitment office and the plan was for James to meet him there and then they could walk to one of the nearby restaurants. He arrived a little early and was waiting in the lobby, looking at the different poster displays when one of them changed to an image that nearly made his heart stop.

It was Winnie.

He blinked, doing a double-take, but the image remained the same. Her hair was pulled up in a tight bun, and she was in her dress blues, which, he noted, looked pretty damn good on her. It was strangely cropped, showing only the upper half of her body. James realized with a note of irritation that the cropping was probably meant to disguise her diminutive height. He was so caught up staring at the image, wondering why Winnie of all people was on a recruitment poster that he jumped about a foot in the air when Danny clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"Vega! My man! You look like you've seen a ghost. What's up?"

James just shook his head and wordlessly gestured at the poster, unable to articulate his thoughts.

"Oh yeah, the Lieutenant Shepard poster? It's nice, right?" Danny gave him a funny look. "I guess you joined up right before the Blitz, huh? After Elysium, they promoted her and slapped her face on all the Alliance promo stuff. I hear they just promoted her _again_. So they're rerunning the campaign, must figure she'll still draw in attention. I mean, why not? She's hot right, who would have thought? I hear she's N7, too. Crazy shit, man." He clapped James on the back. "Come on, we gonna eat, or what?"

James let himself be led out of the office and into the street. His mind was racing, trying to comprehend what his friend had said. _That_ Shepard? Winnie was _that_ Shepard, the Hero of the Blitz? Fuck! No wonder she'd been surprised that he'd asked her name. Every soldier in the Alliance knew it already, and with the recruitment promotion, she was probably used to being recognized as well. He guessed that was why she'd gone with just her first name too. She was probably enjoying break from being recognized.

He stumbled as they turned down another street, something else Danny had said reaching the front of his mind. They were running her recruitment campaign again because she'd just been promoted? _And_ she was N7? He thought about how easily she'd fallen into a combat stance when she'd gotten out of the shower and found him lingering, unsure of his intentions. Damn. He guessed it was a good thing he'd been able to put her back at ease so quickly. His eyes started to cross a bit as it occurred to him just how much she outranked him.

_Mierda!_ Surely she had to realize he'd find out who she was eventually? Then again, she'd been pretty clear about not really expecting to see him again. It was a big galaxy, after all, and the Alliance was widespread. They'd spoken enough for both of them to realize they tended to snag completely different assignments. Odds were slim to none that they'd run into each other again.

_Guess maybe she just wanted to be someone else for a night. Hero of the Blitz and face of the Alliance's recruitment campaign? I'm not sure I blame her._

A dawning sense of wonder crept over him, realizing that he was the guy that got to help her do just that. James couldn't even begin to imagine what it must be like to have to live under that kind of scrutiny, with that kind of expectation. People joined the Alliance for all sorts of reasons, he knew, but usually fame and glory weren't among them. He thought over what he had heard about Lieutenant Shepard, and what he'd seen of Winnie, and he could believe she might need an outlet.

A goofy smile slipped onto his face for a moment, and he found himself very glad indeed that he'd gone back to the bar to talk to her after all. His shoulder itched and the smile widened. He'd chosen his new tattoo as a reminder of the reasons he'd wanted to join the Alliance in the first place. But he thought maybe the timing of it would stand as a reminder of something else as well. That even the heroes were just people, when you got down to it. James thought maybe that was a good thing to know. After a moment, he realized that Danny was still talking, and the smile slipped from his face as his friend's words worked their way into his consciousness.

"...bet she's probably pretty full of herself though, after all that attention. Bet she could use someone to play hero for _her_ , if you know what I mean."

"Dude, _pendejo_! Shut it!" James snapped at him with a scowl. "Shepard outranks you by, like, _miles_. If an officer hears you talking like that you're fucked. Besides, don't you think she's earned a little respect? Been four years since Elysium, man. If they promoted her again, there was a reason."

"Damn, man," Danny blinked at him. "I was just playing around."

"Find a different way."

"Man. Whatever." They reached the restaurant and Danny rolled his eyes and slouched inside. James could hear him muttering under his breath as they made their way to a booth in the corner. "No fucking sense of humor at all. Jesus."

James didn't care. At least Danny had shut up about Shepard. The rest of their lunch was pleasant enough, once the topic of discussion changed over to biotiball. But the encounter left him a bit unsettled, and he was still mulling over it later that night when he had reported back for duty. Danny was mostly a good guy. Which left him wondering how many other "good guys" around the galaxy were talking about Winnie like that.

_Shepard_ , he reminded himself, _not Winnie. Shepard. Damn. No wonder she was so glad to talk to someone who didn't know who the fuck she was._

James really wasn't the type to brag about his conquests. It wasn't like there were that many of them to brag about, anyway. The Alliance didn't leave much time for that kind of thing, unless you were willing to break regs and find company within the ranks. But aside from the recent obvious exception, fraternization was something James went out of his way to avoid. Still, this was the kind of encounter he'd normally have told at least a few of his friends about. Not details, just...the gist. But he knew, even before the thought had fully formed, that this was one he would be keeping to himself.

Just his secret, and Shepard's of course.

Theirs, and nobody else's.

He didn't bother to hide the smile that thought brought him.

**End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has been reading this! I hope you've enjoyed it. While this part of the story may be over, I promise there will be more of Winnie and James to come down the road. Hopefully before too long has passed!
> 
> Also, again. Thank you so much to ladyamesindy for her beta skills and for being so wonderfully encouraging of this whole mad idea.


End file.
